Bullying managers at Middlesex University have suspended two philosophy professors and several philosophy students for the crime of campaigning to save their own jobs and courses.

The suspensions come in the wake of international outrage at plans by Middlesex managers to shut down the university's world renowned philosophy centre. Students occupied the Mansion Building at Middlesex's Trent Park campus for 12 days in protest at the closure decision. Now the university bosses are threatening to suspend every student involved in this peaceful sit-in protest.

We must not let these bullies get away with trashing Middlesex University's academic reputation, shutting down successful departments and intimidating those staff and students who stand up to them.

The abrupt closure of the Philosophy programmes at Middlesex University is a matter of national and indeed international concern. Not only does it flatly contradict the stated commitment of Middlesex University to promote 'research excellence', it represents a startling stage in the ongoing impoverishment of Philosophy provision in the UK.

The Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy (http://www.web.mdx.ac.uk/crmep/) at Middlesex makes a significant and distinctive contribution to the teaching of philosophy in the UK. Its set of MA programmes is currently the largest in the UK, and Philosophy is the most prestigious and highest research-rated subject at Middlesex University.

The CRMEP is now widely recognised as one of the most important centres for the study of modern European philosophy anywhere in the English-speaking world. Building on its grade of 5 in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise, in the 2008 RAE Middlesex was rated first in philosophy among post-1992 universities, with 65% of its research activity judged ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

More importantly, work carried out at the CRMEP is characterised by a unique emphasis on broad cultural, artistic and intellectual contexts, and a marked sense of social and political engagement.

Middlesex Philosophy is one of only a handful of programmes left in the UK that provides both research-driven and inclusive post-graduate teaching aimed at a wide range of students, specialist and non-specialist. It also happens to generate a substantial amount of revenue for the University, currently contributing close to half of its total income to the University's central administration.

To express support and to help with the campaign email savemdxphil@gmail.com or join the facebook group.

If you would like to keep up to date on the progress of the campaign then please visit:
http://savemdxphil.com/
or follow us on twitter:
http://twitter.com/saveMDXphil

For various past press releases (which include pieces in the Guardian, Guardian CIF, the Telegraph, and BBC World Radio) please visit:
http://savemdxphil.com/2010/05/09/press-round-up/
or join our facebook group where all publications and future events are discussed:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=119102561449990&ref=ts

For more information on the financial arguments you can read our Finance FAQ -
http://savemdxphil.com/2010/05/01/faq-on-the-financial-situation-of-philosophy-at-middlesex/

PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS NEWS WIDELY - closure at Liverpool and cuts at KCL and elsewhere have been avoided and suspensions as Sussex have been reveresed due to protest. It IS possible to stop the demented venal idiocy of university management.

If you would like to show Dean Esche what you think of this decision then you can email him at e.esche@mdx.ac.uk, please send a copy and any reply to savemdxphil@gmail.com

Middlesex University has decided to close its CRMEP in the complete absence of any persuasive academic or economic rationale. It has also treated its students with a complete lack of respect and has resorted to totalitarian tactics.

We, the undersigned, call on Middlesex University to reverse these damaging and ill-judged decisions to close its Philosophy programmes and suspend its students, and to renew its commitment to widening participation in education and to excellence in research.